Are you getting ready to go for your annual physical? Then what you need to do is ask your doctor the questions you need to have answered about your health right then and there.
There are 10 questions that you need to ask your physician when you go for your checkup. Let’s go over those right now.
#10 – Ask How You Will Receive Your Results
The last thing you will want to have happen is that your doctor leaves you hanging and high and dry without notifying you in any way about your bloodwork results, and other rest results. Therefore, you need to find out about how you will have access to those results. Will you get a phone call? Or will the results be online?
#9 – Ask If Your Family Has Health Problems Whether You Are At Risk Or Not
If your family has illnesses that you suspect may be hereditary such as heart disease or type 2 diabetes, you need to ask your doctor if you are at risk. And if you are, you need to be told which precautions to take to minimize the odds of you developing it.
#8 – Ask Your Doctor If You Are Old Enough For Recommended Screenings
If you were told to get a colonoscopy even though there is no family history of colon cancer but you are not at an age where it is necessary, ask about it. That is one example. You do not want to go through tests if you really don’t need to.
#7 – Ask Your Doctor If Being Under Stress is Impacting Your Health
If you have been dealing with symptoms that suggest that stress is having a negative impact on your health, you need to ask your doctor about that. Symptoms such as headaches, irritability, mood swings, and changes in appetite can be signs. You will then need to be told how to manage stress better and to be monitored as well.
#6 – Ask Your Doctor If He Or She Is Concerned About Your Weight
This is a difficult topic but you need to hear the truth whether or not your doctor is worried about your weight. Especially if you are quite overweight as that can be linked to many illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes.
#5 – Ask If You Are Up To Date With Your Vaccinations
You will need to know if you need to receive any boosters or if you need other vaccinations such as the shingles vaccine if you have had the chickenpox as a child. It is important that you have that information so you are protected against certain diseases.
#4 – Ask About Your Habits
If you are concerned about habits you have such as not being active enough or being too active, your doctor will be the one to tell you. Talk about how much activity you do get on a typical day and then your doctor will tell you. If you are concerned about other habits that you may have that are questionable, then ask about that as well.
#3 – Ask About Whether Or Not Your Prescriptions Are Still Needed
If you have been on medication for a long time, then you will need to know whether or not your prescriptions are still relevant. Sometimes patients no longer need prescriptions that were given to them many years ago and it may be time to taper off.
#2 – Ask About Your Numbers
You need to know what the results you get from your checkup mean. In the first question, you will be asking how to get a hold of your results. This question is about receiving clarification of what your numbers mean.
#1 – Ask About What Is Next?
Ask when your doctor wants to see you again, and if your doctor wants to test you for something, you will need to know what the next steps for that are as well.
The point is to never be left in the dark when you go for your checkup and find out everything that is going on with you.
